Find out how popular the last name Vanatta is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Vanatta.

Vanatta, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Vanatta surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vanatta in America

Vanatta is the 12089th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vanatta surname appeared 2,578 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Vanatta.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vanatta to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Vanatta

The surname VANATTA is of Dutch origin and dates back to the 17th century. It is believed to have originated in the Netherlands, specifically in the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. The name is derived from the old Frisian word "fen," meaning marsh or bog, and the Dutch word "atta," meaning settlement or homestead.

The earliest recorded use of the name VANATTA can be traced back to the Dutch East Indies in the 1600s, where it was found in colonial records and documents. One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Jan VANATTA, a Dutch East India Company employee who was stationed in Batavia (present-day Jakarta) in the mid-17th century.

In the late 17th century, the name appeared in the records of the Dutch Reformed Church in New Amsterdam (now New York City), indicating that some VANATTA families had emigrated from the Netherlands to the Dutch colonies in North America. One notable individual from this period was Pieter VANATTA, who was born in New Amsterdam in 1675 and later became a prominent merchant and landowner in the area.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the VANATTA surname continued to spread across various parts of the United States, particularly in the northeastern states and the Midwest. Several VANATTA families were among the early settlers in Pennsylvania, where the name can be found in historical records and documents from that time.

One notable individual from this period was John VANATTA (1755-1832), a farmer and landowner in Pennsylvania who served as a Captain in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Another prominent figure was William VANATTA (1810-1889), a lawyer and politician from Ohio who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

In the 20th century, the VANATTA surname continued to be represented in various fields and professions. One notable individual was Robert VANATTA (1913-1997), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the successful Van's Food Products company. Another was James VANATTA (1928-2012), a renowned artist and sculptor from California whose works are displayed in numerous galleries and museums.

The name VANATTA has also been found in other parts of the world, likely due to migration and intermarriage over the centuries. However, its roots can be traced back to the Netherlands and the Frisian and Dutch words that gave rise to this distinctive surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vanatta

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Vanatta.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Vanatta was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Vanatta has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Vanatta was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Vanatta, please contact us.

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